


Repercussions

by bornforwar_archivist



Series: Repercussions [1]
Category: Dark Angel
Genre: Christmas, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-31
Updated: 2006-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-11 17:20:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10470165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornforwar_archivist/pseuds/bornforwar_archivist
Summary: By Sorrow Reminisce. When you're 'one true love ' arrives bearing the cure for all evils, who are you going to be spending Christmas Day with?





	

**Author's Note:**

> _Note from Delenn, the archivist: this story was originally archived at[Born For War](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Born_For_War), which closed in 2015. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in March 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Born For War collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bornforwar)._
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters aren’t mine, blah blah blah, and the quote belongs to some one called Jerry Chin. 
> 
> A/N: I wanted to write this slipshod, highly predictable story, but not as my contribution for the 12 Fic's of Christmas, so think of this as the prequel. Thanks to Enigma for combing over it for me and sharing your suggestions!

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down.   
  
Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 13, 2021   
  
Five days ago Logan arrived at Max’s apartment in Terminal City clutching a bottle of pre-pulse champagne in one hand and a neatly gift-wrapped box in the other. Thus changing Max’s life in a way she never would have anticipated…   
  
(December 9, 2021)   
  
Max stood in the doorway, frozen by surprise at she took in Logan’s flushed complexion and grin so wide it should have cleaved off the larger portion of his head.   
  
A voice laughed behind her. “So Max, are you gonna stand there dribbling like Logan’s grandmother or let the guy in?"   
  
Logan faltered as his gaze shifted beyond Max to fall upon Alec who stood in the middle of the room, decorating a large branch with crudely made tree ornaments.   
  
“Hey Alec. Nice uh… tree." Logan was unable to conceal his smirk as he said, “You probably not aware of the traditions of Christmas, but it’s customary to use fresh pine or even artificial -"   
  
“I’m aware of that Logan." Alec’s reply was abrupt and Max turned towards him, watching how his jaw tightened in the effort to hold in a more cutting remark. “But these days, it’s just so hard for a transgenic to find a decent pine in the outside world, and strangely enough, the stores in Terminal City are all closed."   
  
Logan ignored his remark and instead walked over to the box of decorations, placing his champagne on the table as he picked up a painted matchbox and toyed with the string attached to it, eyeing it critically as if he were trying to discern the random brush strokes of a three year olds painting.   
  
Feeling the need to defend the decoration, Max stepped forward. “Dalton made it. Joshua’s been taking classes."   
  
“Yeah." Logan smirked in contempt. “I can tell."   
  
“So what are you doing here Logan?" Alec took the decoration out of Logan’s hand and placed it on the branch.   
  
“Actually, I’m here to see Max." He wrinkled his nose at Alec, considering him no more than an overly large example of vermin.   
  
Alec shrugged and glanced over at his ‘girlfriend ’. “Well buddy, far be it for me to stand in your way." His gaze hovered on her for a moment before he turned to pick another ornament from the box.   
  
Logan ignored him and walked across to Max, eyes alit with excitement as he held the small gift towards her in two trembling hands.   
  
“Max… I have the cure."   
  
At that moment the room froze as if a bizarre glitch had taken place within the universe, rendering the two transgenics in the room incapable of moving.   
  
While they stood gaping, Logan opened the box and brandished from within, a hypodermic needle filled with clear fluid.   
  
Max felt a smile spread across her face as he injected into her arm the one thing she never thought she would ever have - a cure for the virus that had kept them apart for so long.   
  
Only when it was over did she recover her senses in time to notice Alec had not only regained body function, but had in fact already made a hasty retreat across the room and out the front door.   
  
December 13, 2002   
  
For five days now, Max had avoided Logan. Instead she had thrown herself into her work. Going over combat manoeuvres with the X6’s (they had taught her a lot in the past couple of months), accompanying Alec on his supply runs (although their conversations had become noticeably strained during the past week), and avoiding Logan’s touch in the same manner she had been doing since the day Manticore burnt to the ground.   
  
Now she sat on her bed and reflected upon the repercussions of Logan’s gift. She knew she had to confront Logan with some plausible excuse as to why she had been hiding these past few days. So for how much longer could she put this event off?   
  
“Lost in thought there Maxie?"   
  
Max spun around to discover Alec had stepped into her room, quietly closing the door behind him. The perpetual wry grin was shadowed by another expression, one she wanted to hide from nearly as much as she wanted to hide from Logan.   
  
“Great. What do you want?"   
  
She spoke in a tone that suggested she wanted his company the way she wanted to converse with an eel. Being that this was Max’s customary greeting, Alec was undeterred by her response. Rather than take the remark as a hint to leave, he chose to perceive it as an invitation to step further into the room and sit on the unmade bed beside her.   
  
“What’s up Maxie? You’ve been acting weird since…" He laughed as he scratched the side of his head. “Well, ever since I’ve known you really. But even more so since Log turned up with love potion number nine. Care to share?"   
  
She chose not to reply. Instead wondering how she could get him to leave her alone, so that she could wallow in her thoughts once more.   
  
“Why don’t you go to him Max? There’s nothing stopping you now. Logan obviously loves you, I mean, he gave up a cool forty grand for the cure."   
  
The words left Alec with a bitter taste in his mouth. It was all he could do not to gag. But he had to try and make a show of good sportsmanship. After all, he could hardly expect her to choose him over the guy she’d been pining for since time immemorial. And besides that point, he was sick to death with all the moping. Someone in this god-forsaken place deserved to be happy. Even if it wasn’t him.   
  
“Come on," He gave Max a playful nudge with his elbow, hoping to break her stony expression with a smile - a grimace of annoyance even. “Tell Uncle Alec all about it…"   
  
Max shuddered at the title Alec had given himself in jest, not understanding why the suggestion of him being a relation to her could be so vulgar.   
  
“Please don’t relate yourself to me as family Alec."   
  
She threw the reply to him as one would throw a cat out of a window. Cold and cruel. It wasn’t the tone she had intended to use, but hearing him sit here and tell her she should disappear into the sunset with Logan tore apart her insides. She couldn’t understand the turmoil within her, she couldn’t understand why these were the last words she wanted to ever hear Alec say, and so she lashed out at him.   
  
She regretted this instantly when his playful smile died and he replied in a quiet voice, “Well I’m sorry Max - for ever presuming we’d come far enough together that you could consider me something more than your pesky uninvited sidekick."   
  
She sat in silence, eying him warily, taking in his bowed head and look of utmost dejection - waiting to see if this humility was merely part of some intricate little game of his.   
  
Finally Alec looked up from the hands he’d been twiddling so nervously in his lap, and stared directly into her eyes. Searching them for some kind of response when it appeared she had no intention of using her voice to communicate.   
  
She had masked her face so well her expression was unreadable. Suddenly Alec felt like a fool for hoping her words had merely been a front. She had meant every heartless thing she’d ever said to him - he realised that now.   
  
Swallowing back a sigh, or perhaps a plea for forgiveness for every horrible thing he had ever unknowingly done to cause her hate, Alec pulled his eyes away and rose to his feet… missing the sudden wash of emotions that broke through Max’s defences as he turned away.   
  
He paused before the door, a grim smile on his face as he remembered the reason why he’d come to her room in the first place.   
  
“Logan’s been driving everyone crazy asking about you."   
  
As he glanced up at her, he noticed how her eyes had come alive at last. Of course Logan would have to be the one to have such an effect on her.   
  
Since coming to accept herself as a transgenic at last, it had appeared Max had finally come to accept Alec as a friend. He hadn’t failed to notice that she had spent the past week traversing about the town with him rather than making up for lost time with Logan, and he had allowed himself a tiny fragment of hope.   
  
But now he realised she had simply been using him still. Her reasons were obscure and he was sure she’d never tell. But still, he had to try.   
  
“Why Max? Why have you been with me all this time and not lover-boy? There’s nothing stopping you two from getting busy now. We don’t need to carry out this little charade of being together - you don’t need me anymore."   
  
“Yes I do!" Max had found her voice at last, and pleaded with him now to understand. A difficult task when she could barely comprehend her own emotions.   
  
“I need you to help me Alec, while I work out some things in my head. Just give me until after Christmas please?"   
  
She couldn’t believe she was begging but more to the point, she couldn’t understand why she was begging. The words had simply leapt out of her mouth of their own accord.   
  
“After Christmas? Gee thanks Max. Is it not enough to drag me into your little world of lies every other day so now you gotta fuck up Christmas day for me too?"   
  
He laughed bitterly. “Not that the occasion actually means anything to me. In fact, far be it for me to wish for one day when I can forget about the siege, forget about being hunted and forget that I’m totally and utterly alone - and actually try to enjoy my life!"   
  
Max stood up and walked towards him but he held his hands up, signalling for her to come no closer.   
  
“Quit it. Quit looking at me with pity. You’re just as alone and lost in this world as I am. The difference is, you seem to enjoy being miserable and apparently intend to drag everyone else down into your misery with you."   
  
He turned away but she grabbed his arm and held him in place, pinning him with her angry glare.   
  
“What?" Max‘s eyes were aflame but her voice froze him to the bone.   
  
“Do you think I’ve enjoyed having to shy away from the person I love all this year in case I kill him? Do you think I’ve enjoyed having to satisfy my need for human contact by turning to you and carrying on this little relationship game when I could in fact be indulging in the real thing?   
  
“Yeah I do Max. I think you’ve enjoyed all of this." He gritted his teeth to stop himself from revealing how much her words had hurt him. “Because it seems that as long as I’m miserable - you’re happy."   
  
“Do you think you’re that important to me Alec, that I’d base my entire happiness on you?"   
  
She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. As soon as she realised by the look of anguish on his face, she had effectively torn out his heart with that one ruthless sentence.   
  
“I know I’m not that important Max. And that’s just the problem - I’m not important to you at all."   
  
Ripping his arm away, Alec blindly grasped for the door release, finding his vision unexplainably blurred. Feeling the cold metal handle in his hand at last, he tore the door open and ran out into the hall, ignoring Max as she cried out for him to stop. Ignoring the surprised look on Original Cindy’s face as she stood in the hallway, hand frozen in mid-air as she had been about to open the door.   
  
Bursting out of the decrepit building where Max had taken residence within Terminal City, Alec turned into an alley, sliding down against a wall as he at last realised it was hot salty tears that had caused his blindness.   
  
He pulled up his knees and wrapped his arms around them, burying his face as he forced himself to swallow the pain. Soldiers don’t cry. Soldiers don’t feel. Soldiers don’t care. These words he repeated to himself like a mantra. Eventually, he might start to believe them. If he could first convince himself to strike Max from his memory and move to an entirely different part of the world.   
  
***   
  
Back in the rundown apartment, OC got over the initial shock of seeing Alec leave in such a state, long enough to enter Max’s room and be hit by a second wave of surprise. Max lay curled on the foetal position atop of her bed, racked with sobs.   
  
“Hey it’s okay boo."   
  
Max made no attempt to acknowledge her, and so OC simply sat beside her crumpled form, stroking back her hair while whispering soothing words. She understood Max’s grief, more so than Max herself. But rather than broach the subject, she knew it was a realisation Max had to come to by herself.   
  
Original Cindy just hoped her friend wouldn’t take as long to discover who was right for her as she had in accepting who was wrong for her. She didn’t want to have to put up with all this angst for yet another year.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 14, 2021   
  
The Ark was in full swing tonight. Every transgenic and his dog, as well as every dog-like transgenic were apparently making the most of the alcohol supply Alec had recently roped in.   
  
Alec sat at the bar and smiled as he watched Original Cindy run over some dance moves with a couple of Nomolies. She seemed to have taken a particular liking to Sanderman’s first experiments, and they appreciated her attention. Nearly every transgenic held a childhood fear of the creatures that had existed in Manticore's basement, but OC looked beyond their frightening appearances and accepted what she saw within them.   
  
“Here’s your drink 49 - Alec."   
  
Alec turned to the redhead who had appeared beside him and took the beer from her hand.   
  
“You know, I’m glad you convinced me to come out tonight Match. It’s good to have a friend here." He stared belatedly into his glass. “However, it’d be even better, to have a friend named Scotch."   
  
Match laughed and punched him playfully, causing Alec to wince. Not from the punch itself, but at how she had resembled Max at that moment. “Hey, wipe that sad look off your face. I can change my name!"   
  
Alec grinned and quirked an eyebrow playfully. “Sure. But can you turn yourself into a spirit and squeeze into a bottle?"   
  
“Now Alec, are you wanting here? A bottle of alcohol - or a genie?"   
  
“Hmm, good point." The glass of beer paused before his lips as he considered this. “A genie grants wishes right?"   
  
Match laughed, “Well so does the Scotch if you drink enough of it."   
  
“Depends on the wish." Alec swallowed back a mouthful of cool liquid, his eyes staring sightlessly at the opposite wall.   
  
“Well, what did you have in mind?" The redhead sidled closer to Alec and ran a finger provocatively along his arm, causing him to break his staring competition with the wall and turn his gaze to her. There was no doubting the invitation in her eyes as they slid hungrily over his body.   
  
Shaking his head, Alec laughed softly and raised the glass to his lips once again, only to have the contents trickle down the front of his shirt as he turned to see Max walk towards the bar - scowl on face, Logan in tow.   
  
***   
  
“Max. Why do we have to come here?" Logan stepped around a fur covered transhuman and struggled to keep up with the X5. “Wouldn’t you rather we share that wine I brought around the other day? I can make pasta…"   
  
Max ploughed on through the swarm of people and rolled her eyes to herself. Pasta. Like she hadn’t eaten enough of that to sink a boat.   
  
“Look Logan, you don’t have to be here, feel free to go home and eat all the pasta you like. I promised Alec last week that I’d meet him here and I can’t just bail without warning."   
  
Logan bristled at the mention of Alec’s name - again. Why did she have to keep throwing him in her face? Oh. That’s right. Because he was her ‘boyfriend‘. Whatever.   
  
Rather than ask himself the logical question of why he was even here with Max right now, he grabbed hold of her hand and allowed her to lead him through the mass of people.   
  
Max barely stopped herself from tugging her hand away as she felt Logan slip his warm fingers through hers. Her desire to pull away from him was surely caused by the reflex she had developed due to the virus threat - and the fact that months of wearing latex gloves had caused Logan’s flesh to wilt. Or maybe his skin had always felt that way and she had simply never noticed?   
  
She spotted Alec standing by the bar and made her way towards him, a smile breaking across her face as she completely forgot about the limpet attached to her hand.   
  
As her mouth opened to yell a greeting, her gaze fell upon the redhead who stood beside him, running a finger up Alec’s taut toned arm like some… floozy. Max shifted her focus to Alec, and in her mind she saw him lapping up the girl’s attention like a starved drooling puppy.   
  
Max felt anger blaze from deep within her and the hand that had lain so limply in Logan’s, now gripped him with fierce determination. Obviously Alec was wasting no time in reclaiming his standing among the free and single.   
  
She noticed him turn from the girl at last, only to spill beer down his shirt as his sight rested upon the small tornado that was now sweeping its way towards him. His eyes widened in horror as he realised he was situated right in the whirlwind’s path and there was absolutely no escape.   
  
“What the hell are you doing?" Max spoke through gritted teeth as she came to a halt before him. “Is this the way we’re gonna end it?"   
  
Alec’s jaw dropped in bewilderment as he looked down to Max’s hand, tightly clutched in Logan’s, and then back up to her face once more. Bewildered still. “Huh?"   
  
“You and I - we need to talk." Max wrenched her hand free of Logan’s and grabbed Alec roughly by the arm, hauling him towards the exit and out into the frozen night.   
  
“What the hell are you doing Max?"   
  
Alec’s voice and oxygen supply was promptly expelled from his body as she hurtled him against a wall, pinning him in place as she jammed her forearm against his throat.   
  
“You said you’d carry out our little relationship until after Christmas remember? Now once again, I recall why I should never rely on you to keep a promise."   
  
“But I wasn’t doing anything!" Alec’s voice took on the tone of a wrongly accused child as he struggled to work out what Max’s problem was. Well, her current problem at least.   
  
“And if I was, would it matter? You’ve got Romeo back now so what do you care?"   
  
Max bit off her next remark as she searched her mind for an answer to that particularly awkward question. No insight was forthcoming and so she covered up her uncertainty with a half-truth.   
  
“It matters because now I have to face Logan and the rest of TC as the jilted ex-girlfriend! And like everything else that goes wrong in my world, it’s all your fault - jackass!"   
  
Alec reacted suddenly, pulling Max’s arm from his throat and swinging her into the wall, pinning both her hands above her head as he leant in, holding his body close to her own to restrict the possibility of an unwelcome knee to his groin.   
  
“You’re jealous aren’t you Max? That’s the truth of it - that’s why you’ve been putting off Logan."   
  
Max tried to shrink back from the intensity within Alec’s eyes as they probed her mind for secrets so well hidden, even she wasn’t aware of them. She felt his breath warm against her face and became aware of how his body pressed against her own.   
  
“No…" Her denial was weak, and she sought to strengthen it, her mind trying desperately to grasp at least one coherent thought.   
  
Suddenly, Alec closed in for the kill, his lips crushed against her own, stealing any further denial as they worked against her, his body pressing closer, pushing her further into the cold concrete wall.   
  
For a few moments, Max was unsure how to respond and so she stood like a stunned mullet as Alec’s hungry kiss caused shockwaves to course through her body. She revelled in the sensations he ignited in her, until at last she began to respond to his lips. Hesitant at first, then with growing surety as desire began to overwhelm her doubt.   
  
But when realisation of what they were doing finally struck her, it did so with the force of an electrical storm.   
  
Alec found himself being hurled away from Max as she regained her wits and threw a punch that connected squarely with his face. His head rocked back as she came at him again, but this time he stopped her. Catching her hands as blood ran freely from his nose, he flipped her around so that she faced away from him, and held her struggling body against his chest.   
  
“Stop it Max! Stop trying to run from the things you don’t want to face!" His voice begged but she struggled still, growling like a wild animal as she sought escape. “Why can’t you just admit you feel something for me and give me a chance?"   
  
“Get you’re filthy fucking hands off me Alec! You’re a slimy scumbag and I don’t wanna ever feel your lecherous lips - or any other part of your body - on me ever again!"   
  
These words struck him harder than her fist had, and he threw her away from him, taking up a defensive stance as he awaited further onslaught. He watched as she vigorously wiped the taste of him from her mouth. Eyes that had darkened with desire were now filled with rage as she glared up at him from behind the locks of hair which tumbled across her face.   
  
“You and I were friends Alec. That’s all. We were never like that, and never will be. Get that into your twisted little brain."   
  
Without waiting for his response, she turned and disappeared back into The Ark, leaving Alec alone in the middle of the pavement, mopping blood from his face. He couldn’t face going back into the bar in his bloodied state, only to see her with Little Logan Love-muffin once more.   
  
He had kissed her without thought of consequences, and she had returned his kiss - however fleeting it may have been. It gave him hope. With a happy-go-lucky grin, he headed back to his apartment to dwell upon recent events.   
  
“Hey Alec!"   
  
A female’s voice rang out behind him and he grinned as he waited for Match to catch.   
  
Two could play at this game.   
  
Repercussion 1. a result or consequence, esp. one that is somewhat removed from the action or event which precipitated it: the repercussions of the war are still keenly felt. 2. recoil after impact; rebound   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
  
  
December 15, 2021   
  
Max awoke feeling as if she had been put through a wringer backwards. She rolled over in her bed and tried to block out the light that shone in through tattered curtains. Perhaps she could just sleep the day away.   
  
She ran over the previous night’s event’s in her mind. In retrospect, she had to admit she’d been looking forward to seeing Alec. Since Logan arrived with the cure for all evils, Alec had blocked her out. Sure, they worked together still, but he refused to look her in the eye, refused to talk to her on the profound level their friendship had gradually evolved to. She wanted the chance to explain - nothing could ever happen between her and Logan. Not anymore, and especially not after the torrid of emotions she experienced last night.   
  
Max touched her finger’s to her lips as she remembered the feelings Alec had provoked within her from his kiss. She had enjoyed it, and for a few seconds there, she had even felt complete. But Alec was right, she apparently enjoyed wallowing in misery, for not only had she pushed him away, but she’d laid a fist into his face - all because she couldn’t control her own feelings. She couldn’t accept her feelings.   
  
She recalled the pleading sincerity in his voice when he asked her to give him a chance, and the hurt in his eyes as the blood poured from his face from the punch she delivered by way of reply.   
  
Recoiling from the memory, Max took a deep breath and scrunched her eyes tightly closed. When she opened them again, her sight rested upon the Christmas tree she had begun to decorate with Alec.   
  
He had swept her up in his excitement of Christmas - his first Christmas. And for the first time in her life, Max had allowed herself to grow excited about the occasion. Of course, none of them really understood what the holiday was for, bible study hadn’t been on the top of anyone’s list, but they understood the need to find something in this world to celebrate.   
  
They had given the younger X-Series a break from their more serious training, to allow them to indulge in Joshua’s art classes. He had progressed from paintings to sculpture and headquarters had rapidly begun to fill with his various creations. Alec thought it would be a good idea for Joshua to channel his energy into making decorations for Christmas, so everyone else could partake in TC’s new spirit of celebration.   
  
The long hours that they had spent in Terminal City had shown Max a side to Alec she had never bothered to notice before. Of course, she was still an obnoxious bitch, and he remained annoying and arrogant, but that was the foundations on which their friendship had been built -it was a part of them.   
  
She began to notice the quirky things Alec did to brighten her days. Like how he had searched throughout Terminal City for a suitable Christmas tree for her apartment.   
  
“For those days when you wake up feeling like a bitch, this might soften the blow you deal me when I walk in the door."   
  
Alec had laughed to himself as he considered his statement. “Therefore, I suggest it be the first thing you look at when you wake up."   
  
With her mouth set firmly in the mould of her trademark scowl, Max had shoved him away, but her eyes were filled with laughter. Just as he had intended.   
  
The result of his scavenger hunt was a large dry branch. He had apologised as if expecting her to belittle him - once she probably would have. But it was perfect. Unusual, against the norm, and beautiful because of that fact. It suited them far more than any conventional pine   
  
And then Logan had arrived. Stealing the festivity and happiness from the room like a Grinch. Causing Alec to leave. Turning her whole life inside out. Logan’s cure for the virus was not a cure for their unhappiness. She realised that now.   
  
Max’s feelings for Alec were mixed up and confused, but she would find a way to bring him back to her, she just had to sort herself out. Closing her eyes, she began to succumb to dreamland’s sweet embrace once more…   
  
A sudden snort beside her ear tore blissful escapism from Max‘s grasp and her eyes snapped open in shock. With a great deal of apprehension, she turned slowly over in the bed as she simultaneously wriggled closer to the edge.   
  
The body beside her was covered over by a blanket, only a tuft of mousy brown hair peeking out from the top. Her stomach sank as she recognised that particular tuft, but she had to be sure. Leaning cautiously forward so as not to wake the person, she pulled back the sheet.   
  
Her mouth filling with a bitter acid taste as she fought the desire to be violently ill, Max lurched out of bed and half crawled to the door. God. How much did she have to drink last night?   
  
As she reached the toilet, she detected a quiet knock at the front door. She squinted her eyes and glanced out the window. It looked to be 7am. What right did anyone have to be awake at this time?   
  
That thought brought with it a wave of sadness.   
  
Usually by this hour of the morning, Alec would have arrived. In fact right now he would be perched on her bed, chattering away - mainly to himself, while she would mutter and complain at him to shut up from beneath the blankets. By 7.30 he’d be standing by the kitchen bench, still babbling, while she would clump around the apartment, still muttering and complaining, in her futile attempt to find shoes.   
  
“I’m sure I put them right here damn it!"   
  
Laughing, Alec waited until she was just about ready to combust with rage, “Hey Max, did you try checking under the table?"   
  
“Yes! Of course I looked there you idi-"   
  
And turning in the direction of his pointing finger, she spied the elusive footwear - beneath the table.   
  
“Always in the most obvious place Max."   
  
Flying at him, shoes in hand, she tried to strike the smirk right off his face. “You planted them there didn’t you!"   
  
Eye‘s widening with mock hurt, he placed a hand across his chest. “What on earth would make you think I‘d do a thing like that, Max?"   
  
With a devilish grin, he then danced away from his fiery little nemesis.   
  
He enjoyed provoking her as much as she enjoyed insulting him and his early morning visits had become their little ritual.   
  
But it wasn’t Alec at the door this time. He would have been here by now. And he would never bother to knock. Max wasn’t sure why, but she was disappointed by this knowledge. And she had the sinking feeling that after last night, it’d be a while before he came by her place again - if ever.   
  
The thought sent Max into a sudden panic. Why did Logan have to find a cure for the virus? Why now when her feelings were so confused - when Alec was more than her friend, yet not quite her boyfriend? Why couldn’t this had happened when she was feeling more decisive?   
  
The knock repeated, bringing Max out of her thoughts. She hesitated before the door. Did she want to face people right now? Couldn’t she just pretend she wasn’t home?   
  
“You know Max, if you don’t open the door, I’m just gonna kick it down."   
  
Max sighed and tugged the door open. Good old OC - but she still wished it had been… someone else.   
  
“Hey boo." Cindy stepped forward and hugged her friend. “Just comin' to check my girl’s alright."   
  
A sudden high pitched bray broke their embrace, the sound fading into a warble with all the grace of a dying mule.   
  
OC looked with horror towards the bedroom door. “Please don’t tell me that’s your boy making that racket! I always pictured him to sleep like an angel - not no sufferin’ animal."   
  
“It’s... Logan."   
  
Max waited nervously for her friend’s reaction, but Cindy made a relatively good job of masking her distaste for Max’s poor choice of bedroom buddy.   
  
“Well. To each their own I suppose." Cindy shrugged and walked over to close the bedroom door, unable to resist glancing through the doorway and adding, “I’ve seen far worse sights than this - on road accident documentaries - but I still think you’d have been better off taking home Mole last night."   
  
Once Max would have been insulted by such a remark. But then again, once Cindy would never have dared to say such a thing. And the sight of Logan lying face up on the bed with drool collecting on the pillow beside him, could not appeal to even the lobotomised. My times have changed.   
  
“We didn’t… at least I don’t think we…" Her voice drifted off as she tried to remember what had happened after she arrived home - and how she had even got there. Everything had blurred together after she watched the redhead race out the door after Alec.   
  
‘Well boo, did you wake up in those clothes, or did you put them on from beside the bed?"   
  
Max looked down at yesterday’s clothes with relief. “I woke up in them."   
  
“Well there you go. Nothin’ to worry about." OC smiled in equal relief as Max walked across the room, before muttering beneath her breath, “Your breeding line remains untainted."   
  
“I heard that!"   
  
She looked towards the bathroom where Max had begun to run the shower and grinned. “And don‘t you forget what you heard."   
  
***   
  
“Morning sleepyhead."   
  
The soft feminine voice accompanied by a persistent drip of water upon his head, brought Alec into reality and he opened his eyes to see Match standing over him, dressed in one of his shirts, hair still wet from the shower.   
  
“Hope you don‘t mind?" She gestured to the clothing she wore and the towel in her hand.   
  
As she stepped back, he sat up from his uncomfortable position on the couch and rubbed at the back of his neck. “Of course not."   
  
She smiled, and moved to stand behind him, her hands coming to rest upon his shoulders as she began to massage away the tension.   
  
He flinched beneath her hands, it had been so long since anyone had touched him - except for Max, but punches didn’t count. She hesitated, waiting for a sign to stop or continue.   
  
“Sorry, I’m not used to…" Alec’s voice drifted off as he realised just how long it had been since anyone had touched him in such a way.   
  
“I understand." Match made no effort to run from the truth. They had sailed the same ship for twenty years.   
  
“But that doesn’t mean I want you to stop."   
  
Once again she put her hands to his shoulders and began to knead at the tightly coiled muscles beneath his skin. Slowly but surely working out the kinks.   
  
“I’m sorry for blowing things with you and Max last night."   
  
Match felt him tense up beneath her palms again and instantly regretted her words.   
  
“It’s okay. There’s never been anything between us anyway."   
  
Neither of the X5’s believed the last statement. It was obvious something had slowly but surely begun to develop until the ordinary arrived back on the scene bearing his gifts of Gold, Myrrh and Frankincense.   
  
“What’s up with Clark Kent? What does she see in the guy? I could say ‘maybe it’s because I’m an X5, and no ordinary could measure up’, but hell, she’s X5 too."   
  
“I don’t think even she knows what she wants." He laughed at the soap opera drama that was Max’s life. “He’s changed, she’s changed - oh smash the violin already."   
  
“Hey, the girl’s gotta wake up eventually. And when she does, she’ll wonder what she ever did without you."   
  
Alec reached up and took Match’s hands in his own, halting her administrations as he leant his head back against the couch to look up at her. “You know what Match? I may not be there for her if that day ever comes."   
  
He stood from the couch and ran his hands through his hair, “Anyway, we’ve gotta get out of here. I have to pick up some supplies.." He glanced down at his watch. “In half an hour."   
  
He stopped them at the doorway and turned to Match, his eyes open and unguarded. “Thanks. I’m glad you stayed last night."   
  
Match grinned and linked her arm through his. “That’s okay. I’m glad I got to stay in the bed!"   
  
Alec looked down at Match’s arm looped through his own, uncertainty marring his features. Then it passed and he smiled. It was good to have a friend.   
  
***   
  
Max stood behind Dix in headquarters and watched as he brought up a satellite image of Sector 3 and printed out the map.   
  
“This is how the area looked ten minutes ago. There’s no activity."   
  
“That seems odd at this hour don’t you -"   
  
The sound of laughter cut into Max’s thought’s and she turned to see Alec stroll into headquarters with the flavour of last night hanging off his arm. She stood slack jawed, taking in their carefree expressions and the fact that the redhead was wearing Alec’s clothes. She was wearing Alec’s clothes!   
  
A slight cough from behind her did nothing to bring Max out of her horror, and it was only when Alec looked across the room and met her eyes did she suddenly turn away, face flaming as she realised she had been catching flies.   
  
Alec took a half step towards Max before stopping himself, and turning once again to the girl. Max felt her heart drop. Alec’s eyes had grown so cold. And it was all her fault.   
  
“Max!"   
  
The feeling of nausea rose to Max’s throat for the second time that day as she heard the voice call her name. Now was not the time to be dealing with this. Slowly she turned towards the source, her eyes wild with panic as she realised what was going to happen next.   
  
Before Logan had crossed half the room, he began to whine, “Why didn’t you wake me before you left?"   
  
In the wake of this bomb, the room grew uncannily quiet. Max stood like a mute, all thought fleeing to the same place she wished her body would go - beneath a rock.   
  
“I missed not waking up with you beside me this morning!"   
  
“Oh my god…" She breathed the words so softly, yet everyone in the room heard her. All eyes that had turned to stare at her, now turned away. All except one pair.   
  
Like a person in shock, Max looked over at Alec, feeling as if the whole world were moving by her in slow motion.   
  
His hard icy stare tore through her, piercing her soul with the same force with which she had laid his heart bare and skewered it.   
  
There would be no redemption for her in this lifetime.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 16, 2021   
  
Alec hauled the ninth rubbish bag into the trailer. Who would believe people could have so much junk? Looking up at the abandoned three story building, he mentally calculated how much longer this would take. An hour, maybe less. He was dying for a beer.   
  
“Watch out below!"   
  
A soggy rotting mattress came hurtling out of the top floor window and slammed into the trailer. As a result, two of the rubbish bags catapulted out and hit the pavement like a mini bomb, causing all manner of garbage to scatter around it.   
  
“Thanks!" Alec walked over to the remains of one bag and gave it a kick, sending trash flying. “Cause I didn’t have anything better to do you know!"   
  
A head popped out from the window and a bright voice cried, “Sorry!" before disappearing like a jack in the box once again.   
  
“That’s okay sweetie, I know you weren’t aiming for my head!"   
  
Within the second floor of the building, Max felt the rage within her bubble like lava running through her veins. Some jovial god had decided it would be a real laugh if she was stuck in clean up duty with Alec and his new found love today. She stared up at the ceiling, imploring, “Why?"   
  
It really wasn’t funny.   
  
Initially, Max could deal with the banter between the two, believing Alec was doing it to make her jealous. And she didn’t complain, didn’t tell to shut up and get a room. Merely accepted this as her penance. She had even tried to be friendly towards the girl.   
  
“So what’s your name?"   
  
‘Match."   
  
“Interesting." Sounded a lot like ‘Max’ with a slur. “So how did you come about that one?"   
  
The girl exchanged a knowing look with Alec and smiled wickedly, causing Max’s heart to churn even more.   
  
“Because I really ignite in the sack."   
  
Max began to randomly throw junk out of the window as the memory of today’s introductions pummelled her head like a hurricane against a small wooden hut. A coffee table here, a pile of clothing there, some assorted dressing table ornaments… Completely oblivious to the fact these items were falling on Alec like acme bombs in a roadrunner cartoon, little puffs of smoke and all…   
  
Somewhere in her mind, she heard a voice shouting at her to stop, but she paid no attention. If Match could do clean up the easy way, so could she.  
  
“Would you stop it!"   
  
A pair of hands grasping her firmly about the wrists, and a pair of angry hazel eyes boring holes into her, finally snapped Max back into awareness.  
  
Alec glared down at her, ignoring the tear-streaked face and the way such a sight wrenched at him inside, and focused instead on his anger. “You’ve lost it Max!"   
  
The eyes that stared up at Alec tore him apart. She looked so lost and alone. He wanted to release her arms and hold her to him, but he couldn’t. She had Logan to do that now.   
  
But he knew she felt something, he saw that last night. He felt her passion in the way they kissed, saw it in the way she retailiated against him - against herself. She let her shield slip just long enough for him to see she wanted him as much as he wanted her.   
  
When he walked into headquarters with Match with a smile, it was because he believed if he just gave Max a bit of space, she would realise what everyone already knew. Logan was wrong. Not only for her, but for any human, sub-human, super-human or entirely non-human species.   
  
“Why didn’t you wake me before you left?"   
  
All Alec could hear in his mind for the rest of that day, were Logan’s words inside his head.   
  
“I missed not waking up with you beside me this morning!"   
  
But thankfully Match was there beside him, bringing him out of his waking nightmare, reassuring him with words he couldn’t even recall now. Understanding him.   
  
He wanted to make Max hurt. He wanted to give to her, all that she had given him - a world of pain. Maybe then he could feel a little better.   
  
“Hey, let her go."   
  
Cool hands pried at his fingers, still tightly gripping onto Max’s arms. He had lost himself in bitter thought - and left marks upon her skin.   
  
Match released his grip from Max at last and placed herself between them, an expression of sympathy for both warring parties etched upon her face.   
  
Max backed away from them, studying the looks they exchanged, they seemed so content in each other’s company. Already, Match seemed to know Alec so well.   
  
She felt jealousy brew within her equal to hate, and stronger than any emotion she had ever felt. Unable to control these new feelings, to understand them and not at all willing to try, she turned and ran out of the building.   
  
Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
  
  
December 17, 2021   
  
Logan was everywhere. It was driving Alec mad. Everywhere he went, it seemed Max was there. And everywhere Max went, Logan was right beside her like an oversized shadow, leering and begging for affection like a dog for a bone. Why did she have to rub him in his face at every given opportunity?   
  
He watched them from across the room as he sat eating his lunch. She looked sullen, as usual. It seemed Logan was trying to make her laugh by waving his arms around and pulling geek faces. Oh no wait, that was just Logan acting like his usual self.   
  
Alec felt his entire body recoil with jealousy as Logan leaned forward to take Max’s hand before whispering something in her ear. Holding his breath, he wishing he could tear his eyes away from the scene, his mind filling with the image of her smiling back in agreement of whatever disgusting thing he had just propositioned her.   
  
“Hey you." Match sat down beside him and placed her lunch tray on the table.   
  
Alec smiled, his attention momentarily diverted. “Hey yourself."   
  
Match grinned, bouncing on her seat with excitement. “I got an early Christmas present for ya. Just to cheer you up."   
  
He returned her grin with a wide-eyed look of surprise. “Match! You didn’t have to do that!"   
  
“It’s okay. I wanted to." She produced from her bag, a bottle of Glenfiddich and a pair of shot glasses. “Far be it for me to encourage alcoholism, but sometimes it helps to drink until you can no longer feel the pain - or at least feel your legs."   
  
She looked over at the table where Alec’s eyes kept reverting. “This is perhaps one of those times."   
  
He turned back to her and plastered on a wide grin, before picking up the bottle and holding it to his chest as one would a baby. “Know what Match? You‘re the sweetest person I‘ve ever known!"   
  
Match smiled back at him, relieved to see her friend happy at last, and not knowing him well enough to realise he wore a mask.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
You‘re the sweetest person I‘ve ever known.   
  
The words reverberated in Max's skull like the thunderous sound of an avalanche. Overwhelmed by bitter jealousy, she felt the blood pumping in her ears as heat rose up to her face, decorating her skin pink. She tried to forget Match's words - to forget Alec. But those four words played over and over in her mind like a hammer driving her into the ground.   
  
She pulled her eyes away from Alec and turned to Logan, who was oblivious to all but the sound of his own voice.   
  
Not caring about anything except retaliation, she stood up and slowly raised her hands above her head in a languid stretch, waiting for all eyes to fall on her before sitting back down - on Logan’s lap. Trying not to look in Alec’s direction, she tried to smile as Logan drew his arms around her, and whispered a suggestion in her ear.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
As Alec looked towards Max, his face froze. The sight of her throwing herself over Logan inhibited his ability to breath let alone think.   
  
"Are you alright Alec?"   
  
He forced a smile and began with his trademark reply, but changed his mind. Instead, he surprised Match by leaning in towards her and planting a soft kiss on her lips. Pulling back slightly, he cupped her face and leant in to kiss her again, allowing his lips to linger longer this time.   
  
Match's smiled as he broke the kiss. "What was that for?"   
  
He returned her smile, but met her inquisitive look with eyes that were sad and far away.   
  
"Just... because."   
  
With a sinking heart, her smile faded as he turned back to Max once more.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Max felt bile rise to her throat at the thought of what that look in Logan’s eyes meant. With every day that passed in his company, she wanted to shrink within herself and disappear. But she refused to show weakness, not after spending many years mastering the fine art of the Completely Expressionless Face to hide her emotions behind.   
  
Therefore, she maintained her composure as she stood up from Logan’s lap and stretched out a hand to him. She stayed calm as he took her hand and stood to his feet with a look on his face that made her feel sick. She didn’t run, rather led him casually out of the room until she was no longer in sight of Alec.   
  
Then she dropped Logan’s hand as if it burnt her, and pushed him away as he tried to draw her to him again.   
  
“Leave me alone Logan. I’m not your girlfriend." She held up her hands as he tried to reach for them again.   
  
He looked at her in shock, realising she had only showed him affection to hurt Alec.   
  
“Well, neither are you Alec’s by the look of things."   
  
Max fumed. Maybe if he’d said it in a sympathetic tone, it would have made all the difference. Instead, he spoke the words as if gloating over the fulfilment of a prophesy he had set down for their relationship from the day it began.   
  
“You should have never come back to Terminal City Logan."   
  
Max had spoken the words at last, but all of the iron determination had gone out of her voice. She meant the words with every ounce of her being, she was simply too tired to put in the effort.   
  
“Are you saying you want me to leave Max?"   
  
He stared at her, a dark expression on his face, as if adding up dollar by dollar, the difference between the cost of the cure, and just how much benefit he’d reaped from it so far.   
  
“Yes Logan! That’s exactly what I’m saying!"   
  
It was indeed a bad investment.   
  
Max backed away from him and from the memories of a normal world she had tried to exist in for so long. He meant nothing to her. All of it meant nothing to her. There was no place for Logan Cale in her new life within Terminal City.   
  
He watched as she turned and walked away, wishing he could say something to make her come back. How could she expect him to leave? Where could he go now that he too was hunted? Everything he had, he’d given up for the transgenics in one way or another, and this toxic scrap of land was his home now whether they liked it or not.   
  
Besides, he hadn’t gained any returns yet.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
“Don’t use me as your pawn Alec."   
  
He opened his mouth to feign ignorance but stopped himself. She deserved better than that.   
  
“I’m sorry Match."   
  
He couldn’t meet her eyes. He was afraid he’d see the same look of condemnation Max had given him time and time again. From Max, he could handle it - he almost expected it. But for some reason, he felt if Match turned her back, it would break him. She had never judged him on his failings, and he couldn’t bear it if she started to now.   
  
“Look. I know you love her. And by the looks of it, she’s hurting just as much as you are."   
  
Alec opened his mouth to object but she placed a finger over his lips.   
  
“Don’t make me get tough on you! A blind person can see she doesn’t care about Logan. Somewhere along the lines, you two have gotten your wires crossed. I’m sure you’ve watched enough Days of our Lives reruns to work out life is one big drama and relationships seem to be perpetually doomed to suffer from jealousy and misunderstandings?"   
  
He had to grudgingly agree, and laugh at television‘s more absurd drama‘s. “And of course, there’s always the plans to kidnap heirs of vast financial empires - and the odd resurrection of a long dead twinned sibling."   
  
“So what are you going to do?"   
  
He thought about it for a moment. “Well, I’m not about to try and bring to life my deceased clone if that’s what you’re asking!"   
  
Matched rolled her eyes and thumped him on the arm. “Go to her Alec. Stop making me sound like your god-damned therapist!"   
  
Alec’s grin widened. “Yeah sure. But I think I’ll let her stew on it awhile. First thing’s first, we’ve got a bottle of Scotch to go back to my place and drink."   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Max wandered through the streets of Terminal City, longing for a high place to escape to where she could mull over her thoughts. But there was no rest for the wicked or the condemned within Terminal City. It seemed every nook and cranny harboured a transgenic seeking escape from the ordinary world.   
  
On a better day, she might find peace, but not today. There was no place to hide when the voice of accusation screamed from inside her own mind. The wind blew through the Christmas decorations that hung from the odd street lamp, causing tin cans painted in red and green to rattle against each other like a haunting song.   
  
The sound emphasised Max’s loneliness, reminding her of the days as a young Manticore escapee when she had stood before shop windows during Christmas and stared in wonder at the beautiful displays before her. She couldn’t understand why the coloured lights and sparkling tinsel had appeared almost overnight, but knew only that it made the people who passed by smile in some great secret she wasn’t privy too.   
  
Stepping out from an alleyway, she broke out of her thoughts to find herself on Alec’s street. She looked around in surprise, realising she had lost herself in thought and found her way here by instinct. Maybe this was fate, perhaps it was time to forget the events of the past few days and confront Alec at last?   
  
As she was about to approach Alec’s apartment, he stepped from around the corner with Match by his side and a bottle of scotch between them. Max shrank back into the shadows as they reached his door and watched Alec place an affectionate hand on her back as they stepped inside.   
  
You‘re the sweetest person I‘ve ever known.   
  
Max tried to block those words out of her head by they rained down on her regardless of her efforts. Why did she even care if he had some other girl? Did she really want him anyway? Sure, they’d gotten pretty close to each other since Logan had slipped out of the picture, but that didn’t mean they owned one another.   
  
Clinging to these affirmations as if they were some kind of lifeline, Max turned back into an alley, feeling the sudden need to escape her fellow transgenics altogether.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
“I’m beginning to find your bed rather comfortable you know Alec."   
  
He looked over at his friend, nestled amid a pile of blankets and grinned as he leant back into a flattened old pillow. “Yeah. And my neck is finally getting used to the couch."   
  
Match laughed at him and pulled a face, “Aaaw… Poor thing."   
  
Alec turned longingly to his TV set across the room. “Which channel do you wanna watch?"   
  
He laughed as Match’s eyes widened in amazement and she exclaimed, “You have a functioning TV here?"   
  
‘Well, no. But a guy can pretend right?"   
  
She looked at his serious face and burst into laughter. “You need to get out more!"   
  
He raised an eyebrow in contemplation of the idea before replying, “Hey, if you’ve watched as much of the old boob tube as I have, all you gotta do is close your eyes and let it all play back in your head. Trust me. It‘s a great way to learn about the world."   
  
Match looked down at the near empty bottle between them.   
  
“Alec my dear, perhaps you need to have another drink."   
  
They were doing well, or rather Alec was - considering she’d been pushing him to drink while she sat back and barely touching a drop herself. It was amazing how rapidly one transgenic could consume a bottle of spirits and still string complete sentences together. The thought that worried Match was the fact Alec had said nothing about Max since they stepped into his apartment. The whole reason why she planned to get him drunk in the first place was so he’d loosen up and spill the beans.   
  
“So how long have you known Max for?"   
  
Alec’s smile abruptly died as she brought up the one subject he’d been trying hard to forget. “Let’s not go down that conversational path huh? Why don‘t we talk about you?"   
  
She sighed and stood up. “Sure thing, but I’m just gonna pop out for a minute. Our alcohol supply is running low and I have a small stash back at my place."   
  
He nodded, and watched as she walked out the door. Perhaps the TV was playing an interesting show tonight.   
  
“So Max, if we’re supposed to be together in the carnal sense of the word, I guess this means I should move into your place huh?"   
  
Max stared at him in stony silence as he tried to cajole her into a response by use of an elbow connecting playfully with her ribs. Finally, she grabbed his arm and twisted it sharply, fire igniting in her eyes as she turned about to face him.   
  
“Don’t think I’m gonna be your buddy just cause I’m your girlfriend!"   
  
“Oh tut-tut-tut Max. Do you have any idea how badly you just contradicted yourself in that statement?" His words were like water on a grease fire and he grinned as the flames within her dark pupils rose.   
  
“You’re such a pain in the ass Alec!"   
  
The cocky grin was replaced by a false look of hurt and she released his arm in exasperation but turned away to hide her smile. Alec grabbed her shoulder’s and spun her round to face him again, catching the soft expression on her face.   
  
“You know what? You’re cute when your eyes light up like that. It kinda makes ‘Max the Bitch’ that much more tolerable."   
  
She held her glare for a long moment before smiling sweetly up at him. “Thanks Alec. Flattery gets you no-where."   
  
He chuckled as if he begged to differ, then turned away to unpack a box filled with his few belongings. One day, the girl was gonna have to fess up…   
  
Alec shook his head to rouse himself from his thoughts. When was Match going to come back? He didn’t know how long he could bear to be alone in his thoughts.   
  
He opened the bottle beside him and took a long swig, then polished it off completely. Perhaps this would help chase the thoughts from his mind.   
  
Minutes ticked by, the room was silent. Perhaps Match wasn’t coming back. Alec struggled to think through the alcohol-induced haze. Had he done something to offend the girl - other than kiss her to make Max jealous?   
  
Closing his eyes to ponder this great mystery, Alec unwittingly slipped into memory once more.   
  
A warm hand stroking his forehead slowly roused Alec from his dreams, but the unusually gentle voice woke him up with a snap.   
  
“You know, you’re not so intolerable when you’re sleeping."   
  
He kept his eyes closed, intrigued by this revelation and understandably, wanting to hear more.   
  
“So I guess I have to admit I don’t hate you as much as I’d like to. Fact is, I’m kinda glad to have you around."   
  
The hand that stroked his forehead now moved to brush back the untamed strands of hair from his face, pulling away as he flinched from shock, but returning again soon after.   
  
“Of course, I’d never tell you this if you were awake."   
  
He fought hard against the smile, feeling it tug at the corners of his mouth anyway. Her hand suddenly froze as she noticed the twitch, he could hear a sharp inhalation as she held her breath.   
  
“You asshole!"   
  
That did it, he was doomed now. The smile turned into a grin, a cocky grin at that. He couldn’t help it, he didn’t wear the expression - it wore him.   
  
“How long have you been awake for?"   
  
He tried to ignore her, finding himself able to control his facial muscles at last, but of course it was too late now for that. She shook him roughly, rolling him to his back and straddling his torso as she pummelled his chest. This was a nice feeling, apart from the patter of fists…   
  
“Answer me damn it!"   
  
Finally he opened his eyes to meet her glare with a smile.   
  
“So I’m not so intolerable huh? Is that only when I’m sleeping though? Come on, be honest, cause personally, I think…"   
  
He stopped when he noticed her thoughtful, yet slightly scary expression, and the fact she had stopped hitting him. It kinda scared him.   
  
“What else?"   
  
He stared at her in confusion, waiting for her to repeat the question and hopefully elaborate a little.   
  
“What else did you hear?" She punctuated the words and her tone suggested that if he didn’t say what she wanted to hear, he would most likely lose the ability to sit on his ass for a good week.   
  
“Oh, everything after… Why Max? Did you proclaim your undying love for me?" He asked the question in jest, but nearly gagged in shock as he saw the blush spread across her face.   
  
“You wish!" She leapt off him (somewhat reluctantly it seemed) and walked to the door. “I just didn’t want you to hear the things I had to say about… your ass."   
  
He chuckled as she disappeared through the door, he didn’t blame her for being a tad obsessed with his ass. But he was intensely curious as to what his mysterious little X5 had really been talking about while he slept…   
  
In the back of his mind, Alec became aware of the mattress shifting as someone lay on the bed beside him. His mind still content within his dreams, he rolled towards the person and wrapped his arms around the body, smiling contently as he felt within the realm of half-sleep, arms return the embrace.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 18, 2021   
  
Max sat on the edge of the kitchen bench, watching Original Cindy as she searched the cupboards for something that might resemble breakfast food. In the few months since ordinary’s had become aware of transgenics within Terminal City, they’d managed to rig up a supply system that to some extent, worked. But not in the case of breakfast cereal. And water… well that was a whole other issue.   
  
Cindy looked across at her friend who looked more sombre than usual. In fact, she’d barely spoken a word since her arrival, at least not about the important issue. And Cindy could guess who the issue involved.   
  
“So who you gonna spend Christmas with Boo?" She sat down beside her friend and hit her straight up with the question Max had been trying to evade for days now.   
  
“What do you mean? It’s not as if I got a line up." Max shrugged, trying to pretend she didn’t care.   
  
“Sure you do boo, you know that. You got me, you got you’re people here in TC, Logan, Alec…"   
  
“Alec! Why would I consider spending a fleeting minute in his company - let alone Christmas?" Suddenly flamed into life by the absurdity of such a suggestion, Max pulled her head back and shot her friend a filthy look.   
  
Cindy sighed and rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Come on girl, you don’t mean that do you?"   
  
Max stared down at the ground, refusing to meet her friend’s eyes.   
  
“You gotta learn to cut the guy some slack!" Cindy took hold of Max’s arm and turned her around to face her.   
  
“You two have had a lotta shit go down and you’ve stuck it out together - he‘s stuck it out with you throughout. Don’t you think he’s proven himself already? You can’t tell me you’re still draggin your boy through the dirt?"   
  
“Yeah well, he’s got a new flame now."   
  
“And why is that Max?" Cindy knew she was risking potential limb loss by asking, but it had to be done. Someone had to make the girl consider such things as consequences.   
  
Max remained fastened in her cocoon of silence, not wanting to consider Cindy’s words but finding herself forced to regardless. She hadn’t stopped using him as a kicking post since the day he walked into her life.   
  
Sure, since being in TC they’d developed a close friendship, and it had progressed the longer she was away from Logan. But there was an awkwardness between them that neither could put a finger on. It was part due to fear, part guilt. Part something else entirely - regret perhaps. But for what?   
  
“I can’t help it OC, every time I’m around him, sparks fly…"   
  
So he still fires you up huh?"   
  
“Yeah…"   
  
“Makes you feel alive?" OC smiled knowingly.   
  
“Well, so what…" Max knew what her friend’s smile was hinting at, but she sure as hell didn‘t want to think about it. Certainly not after the events of the past few days. It brought back too many memories of the kiss that she didn’t dare tell OC about. The girl would slap her one for throwing that chance away.   
  
“Makes it feel like the old days huh? Before everything turned all, ‘confined to a toxic waste ground by the US Military’ on you?"   
  
“Yeah…" Max’s voice drifted off as she fell into sorrow filled reminiscing. “Like the old days."   
  
“So he’s good for you. That’s a fact!" OC’s sudden joviality snapped her to attention.   
  
“Now let’s get back to my original point of conversation. Who are you gonna spend your Christmas with?"   
  
Max turned to her, eye’s bright with agitation. “What does it matter OC? It’s not like the day has ever meant anything to me before? I’ve lived my whole life without celebrating anything. Why should I start fluffin’ over some dead son of a non-existent god now?"   
  
“Oh come on Boo! No one ever celebrates Christmas for that reason. But it’s the spirit of fun - of belonging, giving and receiving love an all that mushy stuff… that’s what we break out our Santa hats and bon bon’s for!"   
  
“Family. Interesting concept OC. You know, I believed in that once but I don’t have…"   
  
“I don’t wanna be hearin’ that Boo. You know you got family. More so now than when you were with your unit in Manticore I bet."   
  
A spark of hope almost lit Max’s eyes. She was sick of trying to be tough, trying to not care. But what else could she do in a world where rock bottom is still not deep enough a place for where ordinaries would like her kind to go?   
  
“And Alec needs you boo, you’re his family. You’re more than that. You know he loves - “   
  
“No!" Max jumped to her feet and began to pace the room, her face contorting into an expression of anger, with a rather large helping of denial to boot.   
  
“I know what you’re gonna say and you can spare it for some one who cares. He only loves himself."   
  
Her final words came out louder and more aggressive then she intended, therefore drowning out the sound of the door sliding open behind her.   
  
“Uh Max, it’s Alec…" OC’s eye’s had widened to the point where her eyebrows could quite possibly been mistaken as part of her hairline, but Max was oblivious.   
  
“Exactly OC - it’s Alec! You know, Mr. I Know Everything?"   
  
“Uhh, no Max…"   
  
“No, no that’s the one OC! Don’t you remember? Mr. I’ll Sell My Soul For A Buck?"   
  
“No Max…"   
  
“Other wise known as Mr. I’m Always Alright Until I Mess Up And Need Max To Bail My Ass?"   
  
“Max!" OC remembered the point of having legs at last and used them to spring to her feet and grab Max, swinging her around to face the open door, and the figure standing in the doorway.   
  
“I meant it’s Alec!"   
  
Max’s jaw dropped open, as her eyes widened until she resembled a patient upon waking from a life long coma.   
  
Alec stood slouched against the wall as if her words had driven him backwards, his eyes downcast, and his jaw twitching from the effort of holding back the words she had just choked him on.   
  
No one in the room spoke, only Cindy had retained the ability to draw breath as for a full minute, shock wound it’s way through each individual’s bloodstream like poison.   
  
“Oh god." At last Max found her cursed voice and stepped forward towards Alec, arms stretched out before her in entreat. “Alec…"   
  
As her hands reached out to him, he flinched away, melding even further into the wall. Looking up to meet her eyes at last, penetrating her soul with a black look worse than raging anger, worse even that absolute hate. His glare was empty, devoid of any emotion. Like a soldier.   
  
Like Manticore.   
  
Wordlessly, he turned and left, leaving Max and Original Cindy staring in opened mouthed shock in his wake.   
  
“You know what boo?" Max turned back to OC with horror, but her friend faced her with a look she had only ever seen reserved for the likes of tactless men.   
  
“Maybe you gotta ask yourself if you even deserve him."   
  
When we lose one we love, our bitterest tears are called forth   
  
by the memory of hours when we loved not enough.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
  
  
December 19, 2021   
  
  
  
Match watched Alec from across the room and felt a chill pass through her. He was running through a series of hand-to-hand combat manoeuvres with a group of X6’s and his tone, posture and mannerisms reminded her a little too much of the drill sergeants back at Manticore. He seemed completely emotionless, his voice brusque and cold as he reprimanded a soldier for being unable to keep up with the rest of class.   
  
It was as if he had regressed so far within himself, he had lost his identity as ‘Alec’ and returned to 494. But no, even 494 had more character in him than this.   
  
When he left his apartment, Alec had been so enthusiastic about confronting Max at last, and eager to extend the olive branch. So how did things go so wrong?   
  
She watched her friend across the room as he stood over a young soldier and ordered him to perform press-ups before his group. This wasn’t Alec. This was the embodiment of pure, unadulterated Manticore. Even 494 had possessed more soul.   
  
How did things go so wrong?   
  
There was no awkwardness between them when they awoke tangled within each other’s arms. It was as if this was the natural procession of things - or would be, if Alec wasn’t so obviously in love with Max.   
  
“Sweet dreams?" Match pulled away from Alec to watch his face. His smile was bittersweet.   
  
“Well, I dreamt about the past, so it was kinda sweet and sour."   
  
She heard a rumble from his stomach and laughed as he purred, “Mmmm.. I could go some sweet and sour pork right now…"   
  
Springing out of bed as she was about to nestle her head back down, Alec pulled Match to her feet and exclaimed, “Hey you know, maybe one day we can open a Chinese take-away? What do you think?"   
  
Without waiting for her reply, he searched the floor for his clothes, eventually realising they were in the dresser beside his bed. Scratching his head in puzzlement, he turned back to Match.   
  
“Did you tidy my room?"   
  
She followed his eyes around the unusually clean floor. “I couldn’t sleep. Besides, didn’t Manticore teach you to look after your belongings?"   
  
Alec shrugged and grinned. “Yeah well, I like to go against the grain."   
  
Aware of Max’s presence by the sudden temperature drop in the room, Match snapped out of her thoughts and watched her as she stood in the doorway and gaped at the sight of Alec. She wanted to hate the girl for doing this to him, she wanted to hate her for claiming Alec’s heart when there were others out there who would treat it far kinder.   
  
But she didn’t seem to have the ability to hate this girl. Sure, she could harbour resentment, but that was a wasted form of energy and she had better things to do with her life. Although right now, she could barely maintain her rage. Especially when she thought of Alec’s blind optimism regarding his little X5.   
  
“Max is a difficult girl to get to know." He laughed at the understatement. “It took months of trying to prove myself to her, before she stopped lamenting the day she kept my head from exploding."   
  
Match raised her eyebrows in disbelief, unable to understand why he persevered for so long. “Didn’t her relationship with Logan discourage you just a little?"   
  
The corner of Alec’s mouth turned up and his eyebrows furrowed together as he considered the question.   
  
“Well, it wasn’t like I loved her on first sight, I just wanted her to realise I wasn’t the big bad wolf. It just seemed like Max and Logan were an old married couple. Always rubbing against each other like flint and stone - but without enough spark to ignite the wood."   
  
He grinned at his analogy before continuing. “It was as if she wanted to be free of him, but didn’t know how. He was the family that had come to replace her lost siblings. How do you say goodbye to that?"   
  
Having developed a strong ‘family’ mentality herself in Manticore, Match could understand. She just wondered if Max would ever be able to let go of Logan for good.   
  
As if reading her mind, Alec added, “Part of her will always love Logan, part of her will never let go. But since being in Terminal City amid her own kind, she’s beginning to accept herself at last - in a way she never could with Logan. And it’s a part of her that he’ll never be able to understand, no matter how much he tries."   
  
Alec stood up from the couch and walked towards the door. Pausing as he reached for the handle, he turned back to look at Match with a smile. “And you know what? Since Max has realised this - she’s finally begun to accept me."   
  
“I hope so Alec."   
  
Match gave him a small smile as he walked out the door, but her heart wasn’t in it. For his sake, she hoped he was right. But why did she have such a bad feeling in her heart?   
  
Feeling the need to redeem her friend for whatever ill deed he had or had not done in Max’s eyes, Match strode towards the petite X5, allowing herself to feed off the fires of anger in anticipation of their confrontation.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
494 looked up as he felt the air around him seem to shift. If he had been in a poetic frame of mind, he would have likened 469’s movement across the room to flames dancing across water. But as he watched her approach 452, he had no such thoughts. In fact, he felt nothing at all.   
  
Returning his attention to the double row of soldiers who stood before him in perfect formation, he continued his lecture on the importance of knowing your enemy. 469 and 452 forgotten.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
From her peripheral vision, Max noticed a person come to stand beside her with a head of flaming red hair. She felt her body involuntarily stiffen and she drew herself taller.   
  
“What the hell did you say to him Max?"   
  
Match’s voice seethed with rage as fought to contain her emotions.   
  
Max had almost expected this confrontation from Alec’s girlfriend. Given the way he was acting across the room, and the fact that it was entirely her fault, Max felt she deserved it.   
  
That didn’t mean she was going to answer her though.   
  
“I have ten years of training on you, so don’t play games!" Match grabbed Max and swung her round. “Now tell me. What. Did. You. Say."   
  
Flinging Max backwards, Match felt her fury grow at the sight of the expressionless face before her. The girl didn’t seem to have a shred of remorse! But then she saw it, the flickering in her eyes as if she were trying to signal, and she almost felt guilty. Max obviously had a muscle deficiency in her face.   
  
“Why should he care what I have to say anyway? He’s got you now!" Max hissed her reply as they began to slowly circle each other.   
  
“He wants you Max! Or didn’t you give him the chance to explain that?"   
  
Max faltered in her step and Match sprang forward, hooking her foot behind her ankles and pinning her face-down down on the ground.   
  
“If you won’t listen to him, then listen to me!"   
  
With her arm twisted high behind her back and Match’s weight pushing a knee into her lower spine, Max decided to hear this bitch out.   
  
“Alec and I are just friends. He’s too blinded by you to ever see anyone else." Match choked back her bitterness towards Max, as she tried to remember why this creature even deserved Alec.   
  
“If that’s so true, why have you been shoving your ass in his face like a cat in heat?" Max spoke between small gasps as her lungs began to cramp.   
  
Match knelt down harder and gave Max’s arm an extra twist. “I think your perception’s somewhat distorted by your blind jealousy. I won’t even try explaining the definition of friendship. You’re obviously incapable of understanding."   
  
Risking a dislocated arm, Max suddenly kicked her legs back, striking the unsuspecting X5 atop of her in the side of her head and causing her to release the pressure. Rolling out from beneath her, Max lunged at the red head and they rolled head over heels across the floor, much to the entertainment of all who stood in the room watching.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
The X6’s were ignoring him. 494 couldn’t believe it. Had they spent so much time out of Manticore, that they’d forgotten the consequences of such ignorance?   
  
He followed the direction of their stares. The two X5 females he had observed earlier, 469 and 452, had begun to fight. 469 was striking hard and fast, her movements simple but disabling. On the other hand, 452 was running through a series of acrobatic moves that he’d never seen used outside of Hollywood… He shook his head as he wondered where that last thought came from. Hollywood? What the hell was that meant to mean?   
  
Half fearful that he was showing signs of developing his twin’s psychosis, 494 strode towards the two girls. They’d interrupted his training enough.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Max found herself suddenly being flung across the room. After colliding with a wall, she noticed Match was also trying to recover her breath as she picked herself up from the ground metres away.   
  
Alec stood between them, his eyes radiating a chilling detachment that caused her to wonder if she was staring at the embodiment of Ben.   
  
Stepping forward, her eyes flickering cautiously between Match and the man before her, Max posed the question she felt all in the room were wondering. “Who are you? And what have you done with Alec?"   
  
He looked at her without emotion and turned to fix Match with the same void stare. “You two are going to be spending some time in isolation for this little stunt."   
  
Match turned towards Max with eyes pleading for her to do something - say something. Snap him out of this madness.   
  
“Alec please!" Max reached out and touched his arm but he pulled away from the unfamiliar contact. “This isn’t you! You’re not 494!"   
  
His hand snaked out and grabbed her by the throat. Ignoring the other girl who had run forward to try and break the deadly hold, his face remained unmoving as he slowly crushed Max’s windpipe.   
  
Somewhere in his mind, he heard screams, but he didn’t register who they were coming from or why. Nor did he care.   
  
And then suddenly his mind exploded in pain as his entire world faded into black.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 20, 2021   
  
“Is he going to wake up?"   
  
All eyes turned to Match at OC’s question.   
  
She looked towards Max who stared at her with such desperation in her eyes, she couldn’t help but feel empathy for the girl.   
  
“I don’t know. Without the right medical equipment, I can’t be sure how much damage has been done."   
  
He had been out cold all night and was yet to so much as twitch a muscle. The rising and falling of his chest, and steady pulse were the only indications he was even alive.   
  
“But his heartbeat is strong. I guess the boy just needs a break from it all."   
  
“But he did break. And it’s all my fault." Max softly whispered the words and continued to stroke his forehead, willing him to open his eyes and be Alec again.   
  
“I… I didn’t mean to hit him that hard!" Joshua paused in his dog-like whimpers to utter the apology before resuming his cries. He wound his hands together in a knot as great big tears rolled down his face.   
  
“Hey doggy-dog, we know that!" OC moved to draw him into a hug, holding in the tears herself as she absorbed her transhuman friend’s grief. “You saved Max’s life."   
  
He didn’t answer her, and OC looked over his shoulder at Max, her eyebrows raised in concern.   
  
Max looked down at Alec, laid out so peacefully on Joshua’s mattress. He seemed so content, she could almost convince herself the past few days had never happened. If only it weren’t for the huge swollen bruise on the side of his head and the growing panic as the hours stretched on and on and he still wouldn’t awaken.   
  
Leaning forward to gently kiss him on the lips, she looked to Match who sat on his other side and gave her a small smile.   
  
After the briefest hesitation, the girl returned the smile and reached forward to pick up one of Alec’s limp hands, her face turning expressionless as she tried to shut out her concern.   
  
Max stood and walked over to Joshua, placing a hand on his shoulder and causing him to look up at her. He released OC and stepped back, hanging his head in shame. “I’m sorry…"   
  
Feeling herself crack beneath Joshua’s guilt - guilt that was hers to bear, not his, Max wrapped her arms around him and soothed back his long unruly mane of hair as he began to silently sob into her shoulder.   
  
The poor boy loved Alec, and truly believed he had killed him. For hours now, no one had been able to convince him otherwise.   
  
Max gave up on words, she realised by now that words only got her into trouble. Instead, she held him and hoped that by doing so, she could sooth away his pain - and her own.   
  
Joshua’s whimpering finally began to subside and she closed her eyes against his shoulder, allowing herself to fall into her own grief. Facing away from the others, Max felt tears slip down her face as the fear of Alec’s condition closed in on her.   
  
How could she allow things to escalate to this? She hadn’t even considered consummating anything with Logan, but unfortunately Alec had left her apartment without finding that out. Then she had jumped to her own misguided conclusions about Match’s significance to Alec. It was obvious they cared about each other, but not in the sense that she had previously believed.   
  
For so long now, she had wasted so much time.   
  
She had wasted time hating him simply because she was too afraid to allow anyone to take the place of Logan. She feared that by accepting Alec, she‘d be accepting Manticore and all it stood for. But Alec was Alec. Even 494 had developed a personality Manticore could never steal from him - no matter how much they had tried to break him.   
  
She felt Joshua’s arms tighten around her, and reminded herself she was meant to be comforting him, not vice versa.   
  
“Hey Josh, how bout you show me some of your latest artwork huh?" She pulled away and forced a smile. She wanted nothing more then to return to Alec’s side, but she needed to draw her friend out of his pain, she couldn’t bear to see him suffer any longer.   
  
He smiled back uncertainly, his eyes still haunted much the way they had been as he learnt of Annie’s death.   
  
“Hey, it’s not your fault. And Alec will be bouncing to his feet in no time!"   
  
Joshua thought of the sculpture he had been designing for his two favourite X5’s for the past week now. Looking towards Alec’s still form once more, he hesitated a moment, unsure of what to do.   
  
“Okay, well…"   
  
She pushed a bit further, seeing him slowly begin to give in. “Come on. What ya got for me?"   
  
“ I’ll show you."   
  
Joshua led her out of the room and into his ‘studio’ overlooking Terminal City. He turned to his friend and ushered her over to the table where a small sculpture was perched in the middle of it. It was certainly something. Max just wasn’t sure what.   
  
“It’s um… it’s great Joshua."   
  
He grinned like a proud child, “Do you know what it is?"   
  
Max sighed with a smile. “I have no idea."   
  
His grin widened as he continued to wait expectantly. She took a closer look. It was like a twisting mass of… wax. Colours melded together before drifting apart, and she found that if she stared hard enough, she could begin to recognise a shape - a pattern - a thought process. Looking at the object, Max suddenly felt completely and utterly alone. Such feelings did it rouse, her heart ached with heavy emotion. But just as she thought she understood what lay before her, it seemed to shift. And realisation was lost once more.   
  
Curious now by this illusion, Max stepped even closer, turning her head at different angles, trying to catch a glimpse it’s meaning once again. Sighing finally in defeat, she stepped back and shook her head.   
  
“Is it Alec?"   
  
“Bingo!" Joshua jumped on the spot and laughed with unadulterated delight. “And now - this."   
  
He took hold of her shoulders and led her to another sculpture similar to the last. Max crinkled her brow in thought. Once she recovered from the apparently random crevices and smears, the wax began to weave a tale within its twists and turns. It evoked within her feelings she longed tried to run from, but could never escape. Anger and fear, pain and sorrow, all churning within her.   
  
“Oh god. It’s me…"   
  
Joshua nodded and then placed the two sculptures together on the table, side by side. Max didn’t understand until he inched them closer to each other until they met. And then she realised the artistic skill of his creations. When placed together, these two halves fitted exactly, making the perfect whole.   
  
“See Max. Apart - alone. Sad. Incomplete. But together - happy and complete. Understand? Max and Alec have to be together."   
  
She nodded, understanding perfectly. “I ju- "   
  
“Hey."   
  
A voice interrupted her reply from the doorway. She turned sharply to find OC standing with a broad smile on her face.   
  
“Your boy’s woken up."   
  
Cuando amor no es locura, no es amor.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 23, 2021   
  
Sometimes it’s hard to let yourself go and forget the values, beliefs and annoying little habits you’ve taken such care to instil into your life to keep you safe. To keep people away. To keep yourself from facing betrayal and consequently spending your life back in a concrete room with a cockroach called George for a roommate and a sideways optometrist with a name you can never quite remember, to perform daily eye tests with a fandangled red laser and a whole world of hurt.   
  
One would think after all that had happened in the past two weeks, Max and Alec would by now be recovering from a night of hot monkey sex on the living room floor and sleeping like satisfied little rabbits.   
  
But no.   
  
Nuns would find it difficult, hell, impossible to pass up an opportunity to ravish such a fine specimen of perfection such as Alec. But unfortunately, we’re talking about Max here. And she’s clueless when it comes to knowing what’s best for herself. Blame it on her childhood, blame it on the planetary alignment of the moon and the stars. Personally, I blame it on the fact that she’s lost the key to her chastity belt and is too embarrassed to admit it. It’s really the only logical explanation…   
  
***   
  
  
  
“So it’s back to normal with you and my boo huh?"   
  
Alec stared wistfully across the room to where Max stood at the bar in wait of their latest round of beer. “I guess so."   
  
Original Cindy rolled her eyes to the ceiling and tried to remain calm. “Oh my god! Don’t tell me you two are still at each other’s throats?"   
  
Alec frowned in thought. He had almost allowed himself a delusion that after everything which had come to pass between them, she would be more receptive to him than this. *Funny, Logan probably wonders the same thing himself.*   
  
But there was no point hoping her reluctance to be with Logan was due to any change in feelings towards him however. Alec had at last rested on the conclusion that she was either A-sexual or harbouring lesbian tendencies and trying desperately to suppress them.   
  
Suddenly a hand lashed out and slapped him across the back of his head.   
  
“Holy crap OC! What was that for?"   
  
“I heard that fool!"   
  
“But I didn’t say anything!"   
  
“You didn’t need to suga. Original Cindy’s gaydar works on many different frequencies. My boo is not A-sexual."   
  
OC turned away with a smile. *Unless the A stands for Alec.*   
  
“I heard that." Alec smirked as he turned to encounter Max standing behind him, one hand on hip, the other holding a pitcher of beer.   
  
“Heard what?"   
  
Alec took in the arched eyebrow and sulky pout of the petite brunette before him as the cocky grin made a familiar return to his face. He could tell a little white lie or let her in on the discussion. The latter was certainly a much more interesting option.   
  
As he opened his mouth to respond, she slammed the jug of beer onto the table and stepped closer, a finger posed before him in warning as a smile briefly flitted her face. She knew by the look on his face that he was about to deliver some smart ass remark.   
  
“Don’t make me drag you into an alley and rough-handle you!" She forced the grin from her face at the thought.   
  
Alec’s grin widened further. “Will you?"   
  
Max paused, her mind suddenly tangling in her words. Looking around the crowded bar, she couldn’t help but wonder it would pay to get some fresh air…   
  
“Alec, just shut up and go invite your friend over there to the table. She’s looking kinda lonely."   
  
Chasing thoughts of Alec and alley-ways out of her mind, Max pushed him towards Match with a small secretive smile. One that he returned before melting into the crowd.   
  
“Okay, straight up boo. Exactly what is going on with you and your boy?"   
  
Cindy came to stand before her friend, forcing her to tear her doe-eyes off the guy and focus on the question at hand. “Are you two kickin’ it for real or are you in heat?"   
  
That got Max’s attention. She considered the question seriously for a moment before laughing both possibilities off. “No way. As Alec said yesterday, it’s just business as usual."   
  
“My ass! You can’t fool Original Cindy, something has changed between you two. Now fess up!"   
  
“Nothing’s changed OC! I’m tellin ya straight up!’"   
  
Max smiled into her glass of beer as her friend shook her head in exasperation and reached across the table for the pitcher. As Max watched Alec laugh with Match across the room, she pushed away the last of her jealousy and allowed her mind to slip into memory of the night before.   
  
Alec surveyed the large unwelcome Christmas tree and looked at the broken angel in Max‘s hand. Wiping the tears from her eyes, he stood up and pulled her to her feet with him. She looked up at him, a war of emotions raging in her eyes as relief, confusion, desire and anger battled for control. He wondered if she was angry at him still or if it was aimed at someone else.   
  
“I should kick your ass for scaring me like that Alec."   
  
Alec smiled softly as he stroked Max’s hair. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear that."   
  
She shifted her head to look up at him, their eyes locking together as each felt the electricity spark, but neither making a move to explore this phenomenon.   
  
“Yeah well, you don’t know how happy I am to have your ass here right now."   
  
He searched her eyes, wondering if that was an invitation he could see shining out of them, but unsure if now was the right time to try and find out. The bruises upon both of them were still evident. Both physically and emotionally. This wasn’t something he wanted to rush.   
  
“I’m so sorry Alec."   
  
She looked away, suddenly ashamed. The words were unfamiliar to her but she meant them no less. But she knew it would take more than a few small words to make up for all the hurt she’d caused.   
  
“It’s okay Maxie. I should never have tried to kiss you in the alley anyway."   
  
Swallowing had suddenly become a difficult task. It was strange how his words could make her feel so disappointed. She berated herself for desiring absolution. She didn’t deserve his forgiveness. Now he seemed to think it was all his fault when she had caused this whole sordid mess. And now he regretted that kiss…   
  
“Don’t worry boo, there’ll be no shortage of mistletoe at the party. Original Cindy’s made sure of that."   
  
“Huh?" Max snapped out of her daydream and looked to her friend in shock, wondering if her thoughts had been so obvious.   
  
“Mistletoe at the Christmas party. You know?" She sighed at Max’s blank look. “It’s the tradition to smooch under a mistletoe branch fool!"   
  
“Then everyone will be lining up to kiss him!" Max’s mood slid even further downhill at the thought.   
  
OC smiled at the confirmation her friend had just unwittingly given her. “Oh but none of the other Manticorians know what it’s for. Original Cindy’s made sure of that too."   
  
Max shrugged and looked away, trying to appear as if she didn’t care either way. But she couldn’t stop the blush that rose to her cheeks.   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
“Now, your not trying to make Max jealous again by talking to me are you?"   
  
Alec’s smile fell as shame filled him. “Look Match, I wasn’t hanging out with you just to make her jealous. I know I shouldn’t have -"   
  
“It’s okay Alec. I understand." She smiled softly. “I was just pullin ya leg."   
  
He turned to look at Max and gave her a smile. She nodded back before appearing to slip into her own little world.   
  
“Come join us at the table Match. I promise Max won’t shoot daggers at you." He adopted his best puppy dog look as he pleaded with his friend.   
  
“Perhaps not this time round. I need to get some sleep." She glanced at Max and grinned. “Anyway, I think Max knows I could kick her ass."   
  
Alec’s laugh was hollow as he remembered the way in which he had stopped their fight, and tried desperately to forget. Match noticed his mood shift and cursed herself for the bad choice of words.   
  
“Looks to me as if you two enjoy picking on each other. Am I right?" She breathed a sigh of relief as the good old twinkle returned to Alec’s eyes.   
  
“Well, ‘terms of affection’ would be my way of describing it really." He cocked his head to one side as he analysed the numerous arguments they’d had together in the past and with any luck, would continue to have. “Some people have pet names like ‘cupcake’ and ‘sweetie-pie‘… Max prefers the more bad ass combinations such as ‘jackass’ and ‘screw-up’."   
  
“And you love this girl why?" Match shook her head and laughed.   
  
Alec paused, neither denying nor confirming her insinuation. “Let’s just say, if Max traded in ‘jackass’ for ‘cupcake’ I’d be running in the opposite direction. She wouldn’t be Max anymore."   
  
“Well, just don’t forget what drove out 494 in the first place."   
  
“Months of trying to forget Manticore ever existed Match. That’s what did it." His eyes narrowed in seriousness as he held her stare.   
  
“And I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of that happening to a lot more of us in time to come."   
  
Match nodded in understanding. At times she could feel the same rage crawling beneath her skin like a demon trying to carve words onto her flesh. There’d come a day when Terminal City would seem like a saucepan filled with exploding corn.   
  
“Perhaps we can call the experience a rite of passage and give the soldiers a branding if they pass the test?"   
  
Alec laughed. “Go home Match."   
  
  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Max noticed the redhead leave and walked over to where Alec now sat staring into space. She was half fearful that he’d slip away inside his mind again.   
  
“Hey you." Max slid into the seat before him and rested her hands on the table.   
  
He looked up and smiled. “Hey yourself."   
  
Neither spoke for a moment and at last Alec felt he could bear her silence no longer.   
  
“You know, I wish I could take things back to the way things were before Maxie." Her eyebrows raised in surprise and he reached out to idly play with her fingers.   
  
“You want things to be like they were before?" Her eyebrows raised further as the words sank in.   
  
“Yeah. You know, before Logan came along with the elixir of life. Back when Max was Max and I was the annoying thorn in your side."   
  
“You want things to be like they were before." This time it wasn’t a question but a statement made in disbelief.   
  
“I mean, it’s not like I crave being your ever-humiliated sidekick or anything, I could do without the humiliation and your continuous statements of how much you wish I would get out of your life… but you know, I do enjoy seeing your eyes light up when I piss you off."   
  
He flashed her a cocky grin as he turned her hands over in his and began to stroke her palm.   
  
She stared dumbfound at their entwined hands, his touch making her heart accelerate as his words made her wonder exactly what he was talking about.   
  
“Why?" It was a simple question. Perhaps it would inspire a simple answer.   
  
“Cuando amor no es locura, no es amor."   
  
Perhaps not.   
  
“What the hell does that mean Alec?"   
  
Max felt her mind flared in sudden annoyance as she realised the only word she had understood was ’madness’. Was he calling her crazy?   
  
Alec laughed at her frustration. “Figure it out."   
  
He left her there with the trademark pout on her face and walked casually through the crowded bar and into the night.   
  
When love is not madness, it is not love.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
December 24, 2021   
  
“Hey Big Fella. How’s the decorating going?"   
  
Joshua looked up in surprise as he was exiting the large warehouse where the Christmas Party was to be held the following day.   
  
“Hey Max. It’s all done. All set to go."   
  
She tried to step around him to have a peek inside but he blocked her path. “Uh-Max, what are you doing?"   
  
“I just wanna have a look!"   
  
Joshua took her by the shoulders and pushed her back. “No! It’s a surprise!"   
  
Grinning, Max tried to dodge around him but he she may as well have been a fourteen year old trying to bargin with a bouncer. A bouncer with considerably noxious dog-breath at that.   
  
Holding her hands up in surrender, Max stepped back. “Hey Josh, do you know where Alec is?"   
  
“Nope" Hey eyed her up suspiciously and decided to jam the door shut. “You got him a present yet?"   
  
Max’s jaw dropped in dismay. “Oh. No. I didn’t think of… Oh no!"   
  
She felt utterly embarrassed. Claiming ignorance of Christmas traditions wouldn’t work either considering Joshua knew these things and he’d spent the majority of his life confined to a basement.   
  
“It’s okay Max. I’ve got your present for Alec." He grinned and clasped and arm around her shoulders as he led her to his apartment. “Come see. Look for Alec later."   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Terminal City didn’t offer much in the way of retail when it came to last minute Christmas shopping. Alec figured the stores would be packed but, this place was dead!   
  
He laughed at his crazy thoughts as he made his way through empty buildings that had already been picked clean by 10 years worth of desperate vagabonds followed by a nation of exiled lab experiments.   
  
“This is impossible!" He kicked an empty box across the floor and chewed his bottom lip in thought. Perhaps he’d just try one more building and then go see if Joshua would lend him some art supplies.   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
“What inspired you to make sculptures of me and Alec?" Max’s tone was light and conversational as she tried to hide her curiosity.   
  
Joshua grinned and walked over to his box of candle stubs and melted wax pieces he had scrounged from who-knows-where. Picking up a stick of blue and a lighter, he began to melt was onto his newest design before turning to Max.   
  
“I see my two best friends unhappy. I know why they don’t smile. Want to fix them."   
  
Max forced a grin and her voice shot a decibel higher, “But I am happy, I’m smiling!"   
  
Joshua shook his head and laughed. “Can’t fool me Max."   
  
Sighing, she slumped into a seat, leaning into it as she closed her eyes in weary defeat. “Well what am I supposed to do Big Fella? Tell me, because I honestly don’t know."   
  
The transhuman nearly barked in excitement as he lumbered over to a corner of the room and pulled out a roll of exquisite wrapping paper he’d discovered a long time ago in the storeroom of an abandoned shop.   
  
“Here." He cut off a piece of the delicate paper and began with great care, to wrap the ‘Max’ figure. “Give him this."   
  
She looked down at the package he thrust into her hands and tried to hand it back to him. “Joshua, I can’t! What will you give him?"   
  
The dog-boy grinned. “Alec doesn’t expect a present from me. But he’d like one from Max."   
  
She smiled as she rose from the seat. “Thanks Joshua! That’s so sweet of you!"   
  
“That’s okay Max." As she hugged him, he squeezed her tightly and whispered in her ear. “Just pay me later."   
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
Finally giving up, Alec turned to Joshua’s place. He was leaving it a bit late but perhaps he could make her a statue of Aphrodite or something.   
  
The transhuman grinned with delight when he opened the door, and welcomed Alec inside.   
  
“Josh, I need your help! I haven’t got Max a present and I thought perhaps you could let me use some of your -"   
  
Joshua jumped on the spot and laughed. “It’s okay Alec. I’ve got just the thing…"   
  


The End

 


End file.
